I adore the smell of lilac in the Spring. It takes me back to my childhood where our huge garden was bordered by a variety of colours and I can always remember walking round the garden with my now deceased father before I went to school.

Whether shopping for yourself or for a gift, the variety of kitchen tools and gadgets available can be overwhelming (and tempting!). It's hard to narrow down the options to the truly essential. In the end, it depends a lot on how you cook - what sorts of food, size of household - but there are a number of items that every kitchen should have. These suggestions are perfect for anybody setting up their own household for the first time or looking for great graduation gift ideas.

A trip to any cookware department or specialty store can be overwhelming when starting to equip your kitchen. With so many choices of pots and pans out there - some breathtakingly expensive - knowing what you really need versus what are nice extras can be tough to figure out.